Airtightness of residential buildings in the Continental area of Spain

Feijó-Muñoz, Jesús; Lezcano, Roberto Alonso González; Poza-Casado, Irene; Padilla-Marcos, Miguel Ángel; Meiss, Alberto

doi:10.1016/j.buildenv.2018.11.010

Cited by 49 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…The example selection was developed from the INFILES National R&D Project (on residential buildings infiltration national assessment) [ 52 , 53 ], due to the representativeness of national housing (the prototypical characteristics, both in morphology and construction and equipment). The daily hours of occupation refer to the average occupation of each one of the groups of inhabitants before the stay-at-home order—business as usual occupation—and when the lockdown period was in force (figures in brackets) when the inhabitants mostly remained at home (apart from essential workers, the population could only leave home to make quick purchases of basic items) almost continuously until the beginning of the deconfinement.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bad Air Can Also Kill: Residential Indoor Air Quality and Pollutant Exposure Risk during the COVID-19 Crisis

Domínguez-Amarillo

Fernández-Agüera

Cesteros-García

et al. 2020

IJERPH

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111

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During the first outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic the population, focusing primarily on the risk of infection, was generally inattentive to the quality of indoor air. Spain, and the city of Madrid in particular, were among the world’s coronavirus hotspots. The country’s entire population was subject to a 24/7 lockdown for 45 days. This paper describes a comparative longitudinal survey of air quality in four types of housing in the city of Madrid before and during lockdown. The paper analysed indoor temperatures and variations in CO2, 2.5 μm particulate matter (PM2.5) and total volatile organic compound (TVOC) concentrations before and during lockdown. The mean daily outdoor PM2.5 concentration declined from 11.04 µg/m3 before to 7.10 µg/m3 during lockdown. Before lockdown the NO2 concentration values scored as ‘very good’ 46% of the time, compared to 90.9% during that period. Although the city’s outdoor air quality improved, during lockdown the population’s exposure to indoor pollutants was generally more acute and prolonged. Due primarily to concern over domestic energy savings, the lack of suitable ventilation and more intensive use of cleaning products and disinfectants during the covid-19 crisis, indoor pollutant levels were typically higher than compatible with healthy environments. Mean daily PM2.5 concentration rose by approximately 12% and mean TVOC concentration by 37% to 559%. The paper also puts forward a series of recommendations to improve indoor domestic environments in future pandemics and spells out urgent action to be taken around indoor air quality (IAQ) in the event of total or partial quarantining to protect residents from respiratory ailments and concomitantly enhanced susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2, as identified by international medical research.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bad Air Can Also Kill: Residential Indoor Air Quality and Pollutant Exposure Risk during the COVID-19 Crisis

Domínguez-Amarillo

Fernández-Agüera

Cesteros-García

et al. 2020

IJERPH

Self Cite

111

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…No less important was the airtightness achieved by the envelope seams. This factor [87,88] was determinant to provide a comfortable indoor ambient. In the same way, it can be easily turned around in order to avoid strong winds [18] during a storm, since its structure is not symmetrical.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Sedentary Process and the Evolution of Energy Consumption in Eight Native American Dwellings: Analyzing Sustainability in Traditional Architecture

et al. 2020

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According to the research developed by André Leroi-Gourhan in 1964, entitled “Gesture and speech”, the evolution of human beings during Prehistory was linked to the search for work efficiency. As time passed, man designed increasingly complex tools whose production implied a decreasing amount of energy. The aim of the present research was to determine if this evolution, which occurred in parallel to the sedentary process, also affected architecture, specifically if it can be detected on traditional dwellings, particularly in those built by the Native American Indians during the pre-Columbian period. Due to their great diversity, since both nomad and sedentary models can be found among them, and to the available information about their morphology and technical characteristics, these models offer a unique opportunity to study the consequences of this process for architecture. In order to achieve it, an alternative parameter that can be determined for any type of building was designed. It allows us to establish the amount of energy an envelope is equal to. The results obtained suggest that the efficiency of the dwellings decreased as this process went forward, but this pattern changed in its last step, when agriculture appeared and permanent settlements started to be built. Besides, statistical graphs were used in order to show graphically the relationship between it, the climate, the morphology of the dwellings and their technical characteristics.

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“…Other studies deal with the different uses of energy simulation by several users, particularly architects, and conclude that the use of technology could allow for a broader range of decisions [51]. While there are few empirical examples of the use of energy simulation by architects, recent studies explain how leading companies can develop know-how about the types and range of parameters to be handled by BPSTs [52][53][54].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Relationship between the Use of Building Performance Simulation Tools by Recent Graduate Architects and the Deficiencies in Architectural Education

et al. 2020

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This paper examines the actual knowledge regarding Building Performance Simulation Tools (BPSTs) of recent graduate architects in Spain. BPSTs quantify aspects of building performance that are relevant to design, construction, and operation. Recent graduate architects are those who have been awarded a first degree from a university or college and face their first professional experience. This article aims to identify the deficiencies within the current curricula of Spanish universities relating to BPSTs. The authors have surveyed 171 recent graduate architects, and the analysis of the data reveals the deficiencies in university education. Regarding the collected results, the Spanish university syllabi must undergo necessary modifications to encourage the use of simulation as a part of university training courses. The incorporation of energy simulation in such training courses can provide recent graduate architects with tools that would assist them during the design stage. The use of these tools is key in the development of innovative pedagogy-based teaching materials for the courses. In this sense, the present work aims to delve into the usage deficiencies associated with BPSTs and propose ways in which to bridge the gap between higher education and first professional experiences.

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Airtightness of residential buildings in the Continental area of Spain

Cited by 49 publications

References 7 publications

Bad Air Can Also Kill: Residential Indoor Air Quality and Pollutant Exposure Risk during the COVID-19 Crisis

Bad Air Can Also Kill: Residential Indoor Air Quality and Pollutant Exposure Risk during the COVID-19 Crisis

The Sedentary Process and the Evolution of Energy Consumption in Eight Native American Dwellings: Analyzing Sustainability in Traditional Architecture

The Relationship between the Use of Building Performance Simulation Tools by Recent Graduate Architects and the Deficiencies in Architectural Education

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